Improvement



J. B. TREADWELL.

Fenders for Vessels.

Patented March 24, 1874.

ritness s.

UNITED STATES JOHN B. TREADWELL, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN FENDERS FOR VESSELS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. lll, dated March 24, 1874 application filed January 17, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, JOHN B. TREADWELL, of San Francisco city and county, State of California, have invented an Elastic Protector in case of Collision of Vessels or Railway- Trains; and I do hereby declare the following description and accompanying drawings are sufficient to enable any person skilled in the art or science to which it most nearly appertains tomake and use my said invention without further invention or experiment.

My invention relates to a novel device for the protection of the sides ot' vessels, railwaytrains, or other movingbodies, against the etfeots of collision which may occur `on the sea or other pla-ces; and it consists in the arrangement, along the ships side, of a series of pairs of diagonal rubber buffers, connected with an iron or other rod running the ships length, the buffers being held in place by sliding guide-rods, held to the inside of the ships wall by washers.

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanation ot' my invention, Figure l is a perspective view of a vessel provided with my protector. Figs. 2 and 3 are transverse sections, showing the position of the parts. Fig. 4 shows the manner of attaching the buffers to a locomotive.

A is a section of the hull of any vessel which I may desire to protect by my device. I place my bu'ers B B in pairs, as shown, one inclining upward and the other downward from the point where they rest against the vessel, until they meet at a suitable distance, O, from the side, thus serving to support and steady a connecting-rail when it is used. These buiers may be made cylindrical and of suitable size-as two feet in diameter and about ten i'eet long. A strong bolt or spindle, D, passes through the center, longitudinally, of the buffers, and this spindle enters the side of the vessel, and is secured by a head with a washer inside of a metallic tube extending through the side of the hull, so that it can slide in and out as the buer may be compressed. Suitable packing or bushing aroimd the spindle where it enters the vessel prevents leakage. At their outer ends, where they meet, the spindies D of each pair of buffers are strongly secured to a stout iron rail, E, which may be supported by them about 'ten or twelve feet away from the vessels side. The rail serves to unite and strengthen the spindles, and also to transmit any shock to a number of buffers, so that their united strength will offer a sutlicient resistance to any blow that may be received.

In some cases it may be more eii'ective to make the rail irregularthat is, with alternate angles out and in, at and between the buti'ers, so that if a colliding vessel should strike squarely or at right angles with the protected vessel, these angles will serve to make it glance, and also receive its force in such a manner as to divide it between two or more of the buiiers.

One or more sets of buffers, with rails, may be employed, one set above the other; but I believe that a single set will be sufficient.

YV hen the buii'ers are to be employed upon railway-trains, I would construct them similarly in every respect to those employed upon vessels. One or more buffers, B, are made to project from the front of the locomotive-frame, and a spindle, D, passes through each, in the same manner as described for vessels. Buii'ers may also be arranged between the cars composing the train, and in this manner the disastrous eii'ect of collision may be greatly mitigated.

I am aware that buffers have been used in connection, with iron frame-work; but by my diagonal arrangement of the butter, it is enabled to sustain the shock or pressure coming from any direction.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Pat-- ent, is-

The diagonally-arranged butt'ers B B', in combination with the rod E, rod D, and ships wall A, all constructed and arranged as set forth.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal.

JOHN BARTLETT TREADWELL. [L 5.]

Witnesses:

J orrN L. BOONE, C. MILTON RICHARDSON.

iFAITE-NT FFICE. 

